Even small initially and eventually wrasse species
need larger volumes to be happy, live...

Small Marine Aquariums
Book 1:
Invertebrates, Algae
New
Print and
eBook on Amazon:
by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Small Marine Aquariums
Book 2:
Fishes
New
Print and
eBook on Amazon: by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Small Marine Aquariums
Book 3:
Systems
New
Print and
eBook on Amazon:
by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Clown fish how
soon 6/4/07 Hi, I have clown fish in a 10 gallon tank with a
cleaner shrimp. and wanted to know if I could put it in my new 30
gallon tank I ran it for 4 days and on 5th day put in my 3 stripe
damsel. <... may be troubles with these two here in such a small
volume> Is to soon to put my clown fish and cleaner shrimp in yet.
And also is it to soon to put a baby clown trigger. <No...> I
know this tank is not that big but I will be getting a 125 gallon tank
soon. <Then wait till you have this system up and going> And
don't know when my LFS will be getting baby clown triggers in
again. Thank you <Read my friend... on WWM, elsewhere re these
species needs, compatibility. And run your messages through your
grammar checker before sending to us. Bob Fenner>

Questions
regarding Nano reef (5.5g AGA): lighting and compatibility.Small Tank With Big Plans 5/25/07 Dear Crew,
<Scott F. your Crew member tonight!> I'm not sure who will be
the one reading this letter, but thanks in advance to that helpful
person! I have a few questions; any help would be greatly appreciated.
My system is an AGA 5.5g Nano reef. I would like to keep the
following: - Mushrooms galore -
Purple cap (and similar corals) - Pulsing Xenia
- Finger Leather - Yellow Polyps
- Various Zoanthids - Dwarf
Seahorses (couple) - Peppermint Shrimp
- Scarlet Leg Hermit Crabs <In my humble opinion,
this is too many corals of too many different types in too small a body
of water. You'll have long term problems with chemical interactions
between the various corals, particularly the Finger Leather and the
Montipora (I assume that's what you mean by "Purple
Cap"). In a system this small, I'd limit myself to one or two
corals. Zoanthids would be a nice choice, because you could get a few
different color varieties in this small space. Or, the best choice
would simply be Xenia. They add movement, interest, and grow
rapidly.> After doing extensive research, I confirmed that all of
the animals I picked are compatible with dwarf seahorses (except
Zoanthids, of which I am unsure). <I am not aware of any danger they
would pose to the Seahorses. Although the crabs are generally
inoffensive, they can stomp on and irritate your corals. If your dealer
or other source for these crabs mis-identifies the species of crab, you
could end up with a potentially dangerous one...Just something to think
about when considering keeping crabs with Seahorses.> Formerly I
wanted to keep a blue clam, but after reading through the FAQs, I found
that the clams are best left for larger aquaria. Some people
also said that Linckia Sea Star (Blue) also need larger aquaria to
survive, but I would like to get expert advice from you regarding that
matter. <Avoid the Linckia at all costs! They typically require
large, long-established systems with large areas on which to feed on
detritus, etc. A small system will simply not provide the necessary
food sources for the sustainable husbandry of these creatures.> My
second question pertains to lighting. I searched for days
for appropriate lighting for an AGA 5.5g. While I love DIY
projects, I've got two DIY projects queued, not to mention studying
for GRE's and what not, so this is a bad time for another
DIY. Would the 20" 1x28W Coralife Aqualight hood w/
50/50 be a good choice, or do you suppose I must go with higher
intensity lighting (e.g., the 96W variant of the Coralife Aqualight)?
<Depending upon the photosynthetic animals that you'll be
keeping, this could vary widely. For versatility, I'd probably opt
for the 96 watt system.> (Since the AGA 5.5g tank measures 16 inches
long, there are not many lights that can neatly fit that are also
appropriate for a Nano reef.) At first, I wondered if it would be a
good approach to get the 96W simply as a precaution in the event of an
upgrade to say, a 10g tank. In that light, would it be a
wise maneuver? <As above, I'd also opt for the higher wattage
light. However, there are more and more small lighting systems coming
to market all the time as "Nano reefs" gain in popularity. Do
check some of the e-tailers out there for what's new in Nano
lighting systems.> Again, thank you very much. Faithfully Yours,
Jason C. Wang <Good luck, Jason! Hope your system is very
successful! Regards, ScottF.>

Turbos in a
Picotope 5/24/07 Hello, I've asked a few questions
before and they have all been answered very quickly and completely.
<Glad to hear!> So thanks. <Welcome!> I have 2 Turbos and 2
hermits in a 3-gallon Picotope. Questions are the Turbos and hermits
have been working over time to rid the tank of unwanted hair and other
algae. And doing an excellent job. Are these cuc <???> going to
consume their food source? <Hermits are generally scavengers and
typically aren't too picky. The Turbos will need sufficient
microalgae to survive. I would not add any Turbos to your
current setup.> I would like to get a cleaner shrimp or coral banded
also, just want to know if they will have enough to eat. <The shrimp
will not compete with the Turbos for food. Food and your
water quality will likely be more of an issue in such a small
system.> Pico will eventually have mush,<mushrooms and mush?>
polyp and other soft corals, <Various Cnidarians in such a small
system will likely cause problems with allelopathy. Please research
each coral's potential for chemical warfare before placing in your
Picotope. "Aquarium Corals", a book by Eric
Borneman, is an excellent resource you might consider
employing.> Thanks again Joe
<Welcome! Mich>

NMA Books/stocking 20L
Nano-reef 5/16/07 Hi all, <Alex> First - I
really enjoyed the RI book - when is the sequel due out?
<Indeterminate... JasonC is working on the two fish books/volumes...
but don't know at this point... maybe later this year> Secondly
- I'm trying to settle on fish for my upcoming 20L ("L"
for long, not liter) Nano-reef (with 10 gal refugium). I
would like to have a group of very small fish, and am liking the idea
of a group of conspecific gobies. I understand that this
will work with Elacatinus sp - <Mmm, maybe... really only with very
closely related ones... best from the same "batch",
tank-raised... see your dealer re ordering from an outfit that produces
these if this is the route you're going> what about
Stonogobiops, e.g. yasha or nematodes? <Can be done... in pairs
here> Also, for the latter and for shrimp gobies in
general, how necessary is the shrimp commensalism to their happiness in
captivity? <Not... though makes for far more interesting behavior,
viewing> Will they thrive without a shrimp if all other parameters
are OK? <Yes> I am thinking to avoid Gobiodon clown gobies as I
would like to grow some SPS frags and they can apparently be hard on
such. <Yes... and each other with crowding...> Also, I would like
to have one small "active" fish to complement the more
demersal/passive behavior of the gobies. My thinking is
leaning toward one of the smallest of the Flasher or Fairy wrasses
(e.g. P. carpenteri or C. filamentosus), or possibly a six-line,
<Mmm, no... not enough room here> but am wondering whether this
would be too large/active a tankmate for the gobies, and whether a lone
male Flasher would look good, or if they only color up/display in the
presence of conspecific females? <This latter really>
Other possibilities for my "active fish" would be a small
Basslet (Gramma brasiliensis? Or a Swissguard or Candy
Basslet? Blue Assessor?). <Again... really too small a
volume for these> Really don't want Nemo (or any
other damselfishes), and am cool at best to Firefish (would love to
have other Dartfishes if I had a larger tank, but I don't).
<Correct> Thoughts on the above and other suggestions welcome!
Thanks in advance Alex <Mmm, have you read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/smmarsysstkgfaqs.htm and the series
linked above? Have you seen Scott Michael's "Reef Fishes"
pocket guide book? Bob Fenner>

Re: New hobbyist to
marine aquariums - 5/18/07 Thanks for your
reply. We only have a 58 litre tank (15 US gallons) and can
only have about 4 fish altogether so need them to get on. <Mmm, four
very easygoing fishes perhaps... the ones you have are not...> We
have had an Anemone appear on the rock and also a spaghetti worm as
well as a snail and we have bought a hermit crab. <...> We
currently only have the two fish an ocellaris clownfish and presumed
Dottyback? We should have asked at the shop about the
species but as we are novices and the shop knew this, we thought we
were buying compatible fish and with all of the excitement (2 very
eager children) didn't write it down - I can't find it in the
books either!. <I'd go back to the shop and ask...> Looking
through the book I have it does show that Dottybacks are compatible
with clownfish <Some species... but not in small volumes...> and
that they can both be mildly aggressive. I was hoping you
may the best next step for us. <Me?> Would it be OK for us to
introduce another ocellaris clownfish now? <... no my friend... your
system is too small...> I had read that you needed to buy them
together if they were to be pairs, otherwise you shouldn't mix more
than one of each species in a tank? Any help would be of
value. PS: We have tried to photo the blue fish but it won't stay
still long enough! <Do make a trip to the local library... check out
and read a recently published book on Marine Aquarium keeping... spend
some time reading... You're setting yourself up for failure with
the present slipshod approach to the hobby... Bob Fenner>

Re: Compatibility
question for new marine setup - 5/18/07 Thank you so
much for the prompt reply, and Mr. Fenner, let me say your book is far
and away my favorite of all the books I have read on the subject of
marine fishkeeping! <Am glad you have benefited from its
perusal> Ok, I will stay away from the clown goby, although I will
admit I am a bit sad as everything I have read says they are wonderful
fish with great personalities. <As stated, live on, within SPS
colonies... on which they derive nutrition... Not actually/generally
easily kept> But I would hate for the little guy to be
unhappy since we are not planning on having corals, or to be tormented
by the bi-color blenny. "Sigh..."
<Yes> But in that case, I would like to add some yellow to our
tank, so instead of the bi-color blenny, what about either the Midas
blenny (I like that he will swim around and not stay hidden all the
time) or the Canary Lyretail Blenny? <A good choice> Again, the
biggest questions being would either be a good choice for a novice
aquarist like myself, be compatible with the hex aquarium and other
tankmates (the blackcap Basslet, a pair of ocellaris clownfish, and a
flame angel)? <This tank is a bit small for a Loricula... but the
others will likely go, be fine... and there are MANY other
choices...> Thank you so much for taking the time to
respond. I can imagine the number of questions you get <A
few dozen a day...> and how busy you must be, but I greatly
appreciate your input and advice. Nothing I would like more
than to prevent any newbie mistakes that could result in harm the life
I am so looking forward to keeping. Jamie <Am happy to
co-conspire with you... You're doing fine. Bob
Fenner>

Nano-Reef
Stocking 5/15/07 Hey Crew, <Hello.> I have
a ten gal. Nano with a small yellow clown goby, and four dwarf
seahorses. <Too much and wrong type of livestock for this type of
tank.> If I were to add a chalk Basslet, would I be over crowding
the tank? <Already 'tis my friend.> Also, does the amount of
bio-filtration (macroalgae, live rock etc. .) reduce the needed
frequency for water changes? <Mmm, not in your case, you'll be
needing' at least 20% weekly or bi-weekly on this tank.> I
don't really have a problem with water changes, but it just seems a
shame to waste more water than I need to. guess I'm in the wrong
hobby) :) <Please see our Nano articles on the main site.>
Thanks! <Welcome.> Amanda <Adam J.>

BTA, Entacmaea
quadricolor in a Nano Tank -- 5/8/07 Hello Crew, <Hi Matt,
Brenda here> Throughout this past year I have relied
heavily on your FAQ's to obtain knowledge in proper husbandry.
<Great! Happy to hear you find it helpful.> This
particular is regarding a new setup with a 24G JBJ Nano Cube. I have
used 'cured' rock from my 200 gallon reef of over a year, along
with water from the same tank to quickly cycle the new Nano Cube.
<Did you transfer any of the sand? An established sand
bed is important.> My Nano setup is: 150 watt Viper Light, Remora
Protein Skimmer, Koralia Powerhead, 35 Lbs Live Rock, JBJ Auto Top off,
Milwaukee Ph Monitor and so on. My question is this, with careful
weekly water changes and diligent checking of water parameters, is it
possible to have several 2-3 rose anemones in this species only tank?
<It is possible, but I don't recommend it. Water
quality can go down hill fast in smaller tanks. One anemone
can quickly out grow a tank of that size. Also, a powerhead
can be deadly to an anemone.> Also, what is the proper temperature
to maintain such creatures? I am hovering around 77-78 right now.
<79 -- 81> I would appreciate any input as I value your
experience highly. Thanks, Matt <You're
welcome! Brenda>

Oceanic 29 Gallon Bio
Cube. Euph/(frogspawn) in Nano Reef? -- 05/08/07 Hi crew.
<Hi.> Before I get to the question I just want to say how helpful
the site is. <Go
on'¦'¦'¦'¦'¦> VERY!!!
<Great; thanks!> Anyways I would just like to know if you think
that the Oceanic 29 Bio Cube has lights powerful enough to keep a
frogspawn coral healthy and happy? <Tis' borderline. Not only
the lighting but the size of the aquarium will make it difficult to
keep the chemistry stable for this animal. But it is doable.> It
comes with 2 36w pc's. <I would make sure both are 10,000k bulbs
and replace them every 6 to 9 months as PC's depreciate in lumens
at an alarming rate in comparison of other types of lighting.> If it
is not, I heard of this website called nanocustoms.com where
they mod nanosystems. I just want to know what you think of this site,
<Am familiar with it. Have not used it personally, though I know
many who have and have been very satisfied. Can't give you a
personal opinion really as I have nothing to base it off of. Having
said that modding the original set-up may void the warranty. And I
believe, though I am not sure, that nanocustoms gets around this by
offering their own warranty. At the least it is something you should
look into.> if you've heard of it and would 4 36w pc's be
enough? <Yes but then there are heating issues to be concerned
about.> Also they have a skimmer on that site that fits into the
back of the Bio Cube made by Sapphire which I never heard of, do you
know if it is a good quality or not? <No am not familiar with it
either, though any skimmer is better than none'¦.to many
nano-'ers go skimmer-less. Read this to; http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nanoreefsysart.htm .> Just
looking for your input. <^^ There it is.> Thank you. <Welcome,
Adam J.>

Compatibility for 25
gal tank -- 04/30/07 Hi there, <Howdy> I have a question
regarding compatibility of fish, corals and invertebrate. I
started 25 gal saltwater tank with 25 lbs of live
rocks , hang on filter and Fission Nano Skimmer. Temperature, PH and
salinity are perfect. Its been running like that for three
weeks now . I put Javanese Damsel and couple of Nassarius snails after
two weeks of running and started the protein skimmer at the same time.
Fish and snails are doing fine even though the Nitrite level
has been rising by third week. My question is ; what kind of
fish , corals and invertebrates should I put to match with the Javanese
Damsel after my tank cycles? <... a wide selection...>
I saw the list of Fish that would do good in Nano reef but
I don't like most of them , except Clownfish. The kinds
of Fish I was thinking about were;
Clownfish, Damsel, Few different types
of Chromis,
Spotted or Banggai Cardinals (or both)
, Dwarf Angel , <Maybe a "dwarf dwarf"...
covered on WWM> Clown or Rainfordi goby (or both). Also
wanted to put some Zoos , Mushroom
Corals and tiny Starfish and few
different kind of Snails. Please advise which of them from my choice
list I can put in there after the time is right without crowding. Also
how many fish I can put in the 25 gal reef tank ? <About three to
four cubic inches...> Can I put two different kinds of Clownfish ?
<No...> Or two of same kind of Clownfish? How about two different
types of Damsel or two of the same Damsel ? Your insight would be
highly appreciated. Sincerely, VICTOR <All of this is covered on
WWM... give a go at the indices, search tool, looking up the groups,
species you list... Re their Systems, Compatibility... Bob
Fenner>

Nano Compatibility
4/25/07 Hi Crew, <Hello> I have a 10 gallon with a clown goby
(3 years), a spotted cardinal (3 years), a royal Gramma (2
years) and a pair of neon gobies(1 year). <Seems like a lot of fish
to me.> When I got the Gramma he was about half the size he is now.
I think he would be better off in a larger tank and I would like to
replace him with a fire fish. <I definitely think he
would be better off in a bigger tank, but I would not replace him.>
And he bullies the cardinal. <Yep, they do that.> Is there any
reason to think the Firefish and Neons would not get along?
<Probably, but in such a small area all bets are
off.> Also what is the life expectancy of the Gramma.
<10 to 15 years probably, although few live that long.> I
couldn't sell him if he can not be expected to live much
longer. <Most marine fish are very long lived when
properly house.> Thanks <Welcome> <Chris>

29 gallon cleanup
crew 4/25/07 Good Evening! I have a question regarding
a suitable clean up crew for my 29 gallon setup. Everywhere I go seems
to have their own package of different animals. I'll explain my
setup and if you don't mind, could you tell me what would be an
ideal clean up crew. Current inhabitants include 1 ocellaris clown, 1
scooter blenny, 1 rock flower anemone, <Not a good animal to mix
with the other Cnidarian Classes...> 1 green Ricordea, couple of red
mushroom polyps, 1 small colony of blue zoos, 3 small giant sun polyps,
and 1 sally Lightfoot. After further reading, I'm finding out the
sally may not be such a good idea... I'll keep a close watch. My
sand bed is CaribSea aragonite 1 1/2 inches deep. The only other
animals I'm likely to ever put in this tank are some more
Corallimorphs and the like. <Again... this mix is a disaster waiting
to happen...> I do have a small hair algae problem. Thank you very
much in advance for any info you can provide. I'm grateful that
there are people like you guys who help guys like me so much. Have a
good evening Jacob <...? Please read
here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marscavart.htm and the
linked files above... and on WWM re Cnidarian Compatibility... Per our
instructions, learn to/use the indices, search tool before writing us.
Bob Fenner>

Stocking question, small reef, and FYI, re: der. of
Yasha haze... 4/24/07 Hello Crew, <Eric> Long time
reader, first time writer here. (Actually, I wrote about a
week ago and didn't receive a response, so I'm trying again.)
<Good> I have a 7 gallon (5 gallons of water) tank (30cm x 30cm x
30cm) with a little under 3kg of live rock, a Stonogobiops yasha and an
Alpheus randalli. Lighting is 40W of compact
fluorescent. All filtration is biological via the live rock,
and I have a power head and a hang-on filter with the media removed
which combine to circulate the water 25 times per
hour. Ammonia and nitrite are at zero and nitrate is
at 5ppm. SG is 1.024 and pH is steady at
8.3. Alkalinity is at 4 mEq/l. (All data is from
Red Sea tests.) Can you recommend a second fish that will be
comfortable in this size tank? <Some of the very small, easygoing
Pomacentrids, Apogonids, Blennioids, Gobioids... many possibilities>
The aquarium stores I've visited here in Japan have made all sorts
of suggestions, but I'm pretty doubtful about all of
them. I'd really like to find a compatible fish to add,
preferably one that is a free swimmer, because the tank seems lonely
with the goby and shrimp hiding almost all of the time. Also, FYI, I
see lots of different spellings, variations on the common name for
Stonogobiops yasha, and I thought you might be interested to know that
the fish's common name in Japanese is "yasha
haze" "Haze" is pronounced
"hah-zeh" and means goby, so the term "yasha haze
goby"Â@is actually redundant. "Yasha" is
a female demonic warrior deity, and I assume that the goby gets this
name from its bright red stripes and spiky dorsal fin. <Thank you
for this> Thanks in advance for your advice. Yours, Eric Anderson
Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan <Bob Fenner, Holualoa, Big Island,
Hawaii>
Re: stocking question
and FYI 4/25/07 Mr. Fenner (or which ever member of the
Crew can respond), <Eric> Thank you very much for your guidance.
Of the genera you mentioned, I am most interested in the Pomacentrids.
After a quick check of the area LFS's, I found that the only member
of the genus immediately available is Pomacentrus alleni. <Is a very
good choice... as might be some of the small/er Chrysiptera...
Talbot's, C. taupou...> My wife and I both think the fish is
very attractive and would like to move forward, but I thought it best
to check back with you once more to confirm that this is a suitable
choice. The FAQs on WWM regarding this species seem to indicate that
this is a less aggressive member of the genus, but also that it often
does best when kept alone. <Yes> In your opinion, will it and my
yasha goby get along? I also found references on the Web stating that
the minimum tank requirement for Pomacentrus alleni is 30 gallons,
although I also found examples of people keeping them successfully in
Nano tanks. Should I be concerned about this? <I do give you very
good odds here> I apologize for taking up so much of your time. Once
again, many thanks for providing such a useful resource! Regards, Eric
Anderson <Doh tashi mashiite my friend. Bob Fenner> P.S. If this
message does get to Mr. Fenner, I hope you had a safe trip back to the
mainland! Also, do you ever come to Japan for speaking engagements? My
wife and I would love to attend. <Mmm, haven't been to Japan for
more than transiting for years... and never to make presentations other
than on Nishikigoi, pond issues... Doomo. Bob Fenner>

10 Gallon
Marine Nano, Much Reading Needed -- 04/16/07 Hello Mr.
Fenner, <Sorry to disappoint...this is Adam J filling in for Bob
F.> I have had fish for a while with success and I want to start a
10 gallon fish only tank. <Does not leave you with very many
options, livestock wise in a marine tank.> I was thinking of
starting with just a regular 10 gallon setup, with a Skilter 400, and a
powerhead for filtration. <Mmm...Skilters are convenient but
unfortunately not very effective in most circumstances, I would opt.
for either a hang on refugium or protein skimmer...maybe both if you
can fit them.> I'm thinking of either having 1) one Dwarf Zebra
Lionfish, <Far too large for this aquarium.> or 2) One Pygmy
Angelfish. <Also too large...> I was just going to use lava rock
or Texas Holey rock for hiding/sleeping places. Thanks for
your time/suggestions. <See this article regarding Nano marine
aquaria: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nanoreefsysart.htm . Read this and
more....do as much research as possible, Nano tanks are not easy not
for the faint of heart, they are a roller coaster as far as maintenance
and stability go.> <<Well-stated. RMF>> Thanks
<Adam J.>

Overcrowding, Disaster In The Making 4/16/07
I have received a 18 gal reef tank from a friend. I have it setup
for about half a year now. Since I got it, it now has Watchman
Goby, Blue Damsel, Okanabie Goby, Yellow/Blue Angel, and Tomato
Clown. I know it sounds like a lot of fish, <Doesn't sound
like, but is a lot of fish for a 18 gallon
tank. Disaster is in your future. For one,
the Tomato Clown will become very aggressive, especially in that
small a tank, and with the fact that they do grow relatively
fast. The pygmy angel requires more room/territory
also.> but they have been doing fine. <So far> They all
are also fairly small fish. I feed them all brine shrimp every
night. <Brine shrimp alone is not a good diet. Do
search/read our site on feeding.> My water tests come back
perfect. I only have a protein skimmer and a powerhead, does the
job great. I now bought a Bubbletip Anemone for the clown fish.
<Oboy, not enough room for this guy either and with a very good
chance other fish may be stung.> It parked itself for now and is
doing good. I feed it 2 krill every three days. Is that enough?
<Once a week would be plenty.> I also have some mushrooms,
urchin, cleaner shrimp, feather duster, l Leather Coral, Torch
Coral, Yellow Polyps, small snail and some small hermit crabs. I
run 2-36w Corallife, one blue and one white. I know I am maxed out.
Please give me some comments on my setup. <Although your tank
looks good now, problems are on the way. As they grow,
nutrient levels will go up faster than a skimmer can remove
them. This will more than likely lead to nuisance algae
problems, fish death, and other maladies. My suggestion
would be to find a home for the Tomato Clown, pygmy angel, and the
anemone. Your tank is too small to support these animals
properly. The Torch Coral can/will be another problem in
your small tank. They are capable of generating long
sweeper tentacles that can damage/kill other corals they come in
contact with.> Thank you. <You're
welcome. James (Salty Dog)> Attached are
pictures.

Re: Overcrowding, Disaster In The
Making 4/16/07 Every time I went to my LFS I told them the fish
I had and they said I I'll be fine. I don't understand why
they would do that. <Sounds to me like they are more interested
in sales.> I will within a year be investing into a 200+ gal in
wall tank setup. Hopeful everything will survive till then. I also
forgot to mention I do feed them Mysis every other day. <Good,
but should have a more varied diet than that. Consider
occasionally soaking the food in Zoe or Selcon. Does
much toward the health of the animals. In future
queries, do cap your "i's" and proper nouns
please. As volunteers, we do not have much time per day
to answer queries, and editing before posting, just shortens the
amount of queries we can answer per day.> Thank you for your
input. <You're welcome. James (Salty
Dog)>

BTA in Nano
Tank? 4/11/07 Hello crew <Hi.> Tyler
Kohring today <Adam Jackson on this end.> I have a 24
gal. reef tank which has had is ups and downs. <Nanos tend to do
that...fickle creatures they are.> Now it is finally back to normal.
<Good.> Anyway I wanted clownfish for a while, but I
didn't like the normal Perculas so I decided to get two black
Australian Perculas. * very cool fish * <Especially the tank-reared
versions.> I have not had them long but they are doing good, one is
slightly larger. <Normal.> they seem to have paired up and I want
to give them a anemone. I had a bubble tip anemone on mind. Do you
think this is a good choice if not can you suggest one? <Well first
I think it is important to mention that clowns in captivity do not need
anemones in any sort of way to be happy. In fact most people who breed
the animals on a large scale do not use anemones...in fact I don't
know one commercial breeder who uses them. If you do get an anemone it
is strictly for your enjoyment...the clowns don't
care. Anemones is general are not easy to maintain in
captive aquaria, most don't live a year in captivity. Out of all of
the choices, E. quadricolor, the BTA is probably the best choice, but
that's not to say they are easy by any means. If you do
get one, your best bet is to go for a captive reared
specimen. I'll end by saying I do not personally
recommend it. I do not like to see anemones placed in Nano aquaria, as
you've mentioned they have their ups and downs and anemones
appreciate very stable environments with low nutrient levels. Be sure
to so all your research and read the articles/FAQ's placed on
WWM.> Tank is four months old tank mates: bicolor blenny, Australian
Perculas, fire fish, Rainford's goby, and six line wrasse. <Tank
is a bit overstocked for my liking...being a Nano and all.> Thanks
for the help, <Anytime.> Tyler Kohring
<Adam Jackson.>

Ich on corals? Cnid.
allelopathy, esp. dangerous in smaller vol.s 3/28/07 Hi
guys! I'm hoping you can help me out of what I'm
afraid might be my 1st experience with Ich (or marine velvet). I have a
24g Nano with MH lights, temp=80, Spg 1.025, ph=8.3-8.4 (depending on
am or pm measure), calcium=450, nitrites, nitrates and
am=0. I do 3g H2O changes weekly. We have 2 true
Percs, a royal Gramma, 2 peppermint shrimp, assorted snails and hermit
crabs. Corals include Blasto, assorted mushrooms, Zoas, sun
coral (my favorite), toadstool and Palys. <Yikes... trouble with all
these disparate Cnidarians down the road... with growth... do settle on
not adding any more species... and DO be diligent re maintenance> I
noticed white spots on our Palys 4 days ago, and they have gotten
worse. I removed and gave to a friend to put in his hospital
tank (I am getting one tomorrow!). <Good moves!> Now
I noticed that the Gramma is looking beat up. and scratching itself on
the live rock. He's not breathing heavy, though. I think I see 2
pinhead white spots on the fin of 1 of the Percs. I plan to take all 3
fish and put in hospital tank as soon as I have it set up, but I'm
wondering if the corals are at risk of this parasite, since it seemed
to start on the Palys. <Mmm, not likely a parasite... of any of
them... But very likely a matter of the fishes being exposed to types
of chemical warfare twixt the stinging-celled life... "Caught in
the cross-fire" so to speak"> I have had them for 1 mo
already. I just don't want to treat the fish, and wind
up with all the corals getting this white stuff too! Please
advise! Thank you!! -Debbie <Please read
here: http://wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompfaqs.htm And the linked files
above... Perhaps my write-up on Tom Walsh's small systems from
years back... The "Garden Mix" of Zoanthids, Scleractinians
et al. you list is possible, though not really practical in small
volumes... these sessile animals species have varying, but highly
effective strategies for "saving space", hogging light,
gathering food exclusively to themselves... These potent stinging,
poisoning, over-growing mechanisms easily play havoc in small captive
systems... As you are experiencing. There are a few strategies for
limiting the morbidity and mortality here... Read on. Bob
Fenner>
Re: Ich on corals?
Bambi vs. Godzilla short parody/explanation 3/29/07 As
always, thank you for the prompt reply! You guys are
wonderful!! Just so I understand correctly what "next steps"
to take, if the likely culprit is chemical warfare rather than a
parasite, would the best course of action be to relocate some of the
corals into a separate tank, rather than placing the 3 fish in a
hospital tank and treating with copper, etc.? <... please read where
you were referred to> I do think the hospital tank approach may be
premature, <Agreed> as none of the fish appear to have breathing
difficulty or white spots -- only the Gramma is scratching on the rocks
very frequently, and seems unhappy. If a larger and separate
tank is what you suggest for separating the corals, which of the
following corals would get along best together? (red & green
mushrooms, green and blue hairy mushrooms, button polyp frag, Zoas,
xenia, toadstool leather, sun coral). Please note that I have looked
for a Compatability chart for specific corals, <Good point... As far
as I'm aware there is none that is comprehensive... too much of
"this goes with that, but not with this other" factual matter
to graphically present> and I just seem to get general information
about keeping 6-10" spacing, etc. <Is a good idea... as is
starting with small specimens, colonies, the less noxious/stinging
first... Additionally, frequent, partial water changes, use of chemical
filtrants... diligence in cleaning/operation of your skimmer...> The
reason I am so confused is that many reef tanks I've seen appear to
have many different corals living together in close proximity. <All
a matter of balance, time going by, and all potential trouble/time
bombs... as in the wild, what appears to many folks, or as so
pastorally "painted" as calm, serene cohabitation is in
actuality an extremely aggressive world of chemical and physical
warfare, kept in check (but not static by any measure) by dilution of
water currents, predation, meteorological events...> I love the look
of a reef "garden" with lots of colors, but I'm not sure
how to avoid the chemical warfare issue. :-( I greatly
appreciate any advise you may have! Thanks, Debbie
<Much, MUCH that should be written on this overall topic... Perhaps
a good deal by you... And much to tie-in with promoting biotopic
presentations, careful organism selection, placement.... Bob
Fenner>

29 gallon saltwater...
stocking 3/28/07 Hello! <Katharine> I've had my 29
gallon tank set up for saltwater for about a month
now. I've got 4 lbs. of live rock growing some coralline
algae in there. The filtration consists of a 30 gallon hang
off the back bio wheel filter, with a sponge, some "bio
balls" and a "Purigen" bag. I've just
added two Green Chromis, and I want to add an Ocellaris Clown pair
soon. <Mmm... these should get along... but the Chromis are more
social... like to live in larger settings, in greater numbers> I
want to set up a refugium, but I'm having problems fitting anything
large enough to work under my aquarium. I know there are
hang off the back refugiums, but I'd rather have it under the
tank. My question is, what else can I put in this small of a
tank safely? Thank you! Katharine <Heeeeee! The list is
indeed long... likely some of the smaller gobies, blennies would be
good bets... Please see WWM re. Particularly: http://wetwebmedia.com/smmarsysstkgfaqs.htm and the linked
files above. Bob Fenner>

Stocking a 14G Nano
3/27/07 I've been helping my g/f with her tank for about 2
years now. I just got my own and it has cycled...now the fun
part. <Let the fun begin.> I have been thinking
about my stock list and I would like to add to the 14 gallon eventually
not all at once) <Doesn't give you much to work with, 1 hardy
fish tops.> 1 - Randall's Goby
<Ok> 1 - Candy/Randall's Pistol Shrimp
1 - Longnose Filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostris) - I am
aware of his eating habits and have a few ?s later on <Not
appropriate for aquariums in general, especially a small
one.> 3-5 - Sexy Shrimp
1-2 - PomPom Crabs <May compete with the Harlequin if
hungry enough.> 1-2 - Harlequin
Shrimp <Lots of work to deliver the appropriate food.>
Now the slew of questions. Biggest concern - excluding all special
diets, will the tank be overcrowded if I have enough LR caverns (with a
starfish added for the harlequin)? What numbers would you
shoot for per species? <Less is more, you are probably working with
maybe 8-10 gallons when LR and sand are included. The Goby
and shrimp are enough in my opinion.>
How much of a cleanup crew would I need with all of those
shrimp + crabs? I was thinking a few snails to keep the
glass tidy but suggestions are welcome. <1-2 snails, maybe 1-2
smaller hermits.> My last question concerns the
filefish. My LFS owner had one in his personal tank and he
said it ate zoos as well as SPS. Is it common for them to
eat Zoanthids? <In the wild they eat Acros almost exclusively.>
Which SPS do they favor (Monti, Acro, Acan?) and how quickly will they
decimate the colony? <Most don't live long enough for this to be
a problem, but fairly quick.> My tank is the Oceanic 14g
so the lighting might be alright for the Monti for the month or so that
the filefish will peck at it, but I wouldn't want any Acros to die
under sub par lighting :( <Really not appropriate for captivity, but
the Acros would die to the fish eventually anyways. Skip
this guy.> Thanks as always,
<Welcome> Dan Janes <Chris>

Contaminated equipment...
SW... 3/19/07 Hi there, <Hello, Brandon
here.> I'm been running a 6G Nano for about a
year now, recently (2 months ago) I started using an old heater/pump in
a plastic bucket to heat and aerate RO water for a 2L bi-weekly water
change. <This is a good idea.> I lost a snail last
month and today it seems another has bitten the dust. <I
hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they most likely starved to
death. Most people recommend 1 snail per 10
gallons. Keeping two in this tank likely extinguished their
food supply, or took it down to negligible levels. Think
about it like this, if I gave you one chicken nugget a day, you are
still eating right? But eventually you will starve to
death. Same thing with the snails. While it is
true that they need algae to live, they need a specific amount per day,
if they cannot get this they will slowly starve.> The parameters
are: Nitrate 15ppm, Amm 0, Nitrite 0, Ph 8.1, Sal 1.025, Temp 26c, Alk
2.7 and have been stable. <The Nitrate is a little
high. Would be better if it was under 10 ppm. I
will assume that your Alk is 2.7 mg/L since you did not
say. This translates out to 7.8 dKH. This is
low. Ideally you want to shoot for 10-12 dKH, or about
4mg/L. This will give you a more stable pH.> If the old
heater/pump was used in a freshwater tank with a copper based treatment
would the copper possibly be getting in the water it is
aerating/heating? <Anything is possible, but if there
were copper in the water, the crustaceans that you mention below would
likely be doing extremely poorly, or dead. All crustaceans
are extremely sensitive to copper.> The Zoanthids in the tank are
also retracted, hermits and shrimps seem fine. <This is most likely
due to the NO3 levels. Try cleaning out your filters once a
week, and see if this solves the NO3 problem.> All the best <Good
luck to you. Brandon.> Luke

Nano stocking question )
3/14/07 Hey all, <Hi there Darby! Mich here.>
Seems every week or two, I have another
question, invariably due to some misadventure.... This time,
it goes like this: I have a
NanoCube 24. Last week, its' residents were a Yellow
Tail Damsel, some small hermit crabs, a few snails, 4 different kinds
of Button polyps, and two different sizes and colors of Star
polyps. I have also been running a 7 gal. refugium to
culture copepods for a friends Mandarin. <What a nice friend!>
Over the weekend, the afore mentioned friend
awoke to find his tank cracked and leaking, possibly due to his dogs
knocking a chair into it while playing in the night.
<Yikes!> He promptly bagged up his fish (the Psychedelic and a
Royal Gramma), and awoke me, handed me the fish, and
left. His parting words were "I won't be mad if
they don't survive, they haven't been eating anything lately
anyways..." <Uh oh!> Well, I can
assure you that they are eating fine. Voracious, in
fact. <Oh! Very good!> I gave them an
adjustment time of 4 hours after their slow acclimation to the tank,
then fed them live Brine Shrimp. <Nutritional value is
poor.> I swear, the Royal Gramma was trying to take the syringe out
of my hand! <Hee!> The Psychedelic also ate with
relish, but only after I had managed to squirt a few shrimpies over his
head where he could see them. Ok, so all is well, and it
looks like I may be keeping these guys indefinitely. <OK.>
Now, before this occurred, I had ordered a pair
of Banggai Cardinals for my LFS. They arrive
tomorrow. The question is: Should I purchase them
and bring them home, or will my tank be over-stocked? <I think
overstocked. Too crowed psychologically.>
There are plenty of places for the Cardinals to
hide, should they wish to (including 2 good caves), and so far the
Royal Gramma and the Damsel are getting along like good buddies and all
is peaceful. I really hope to keep it that way too! <Then
don't add the Cardinals.> Thanks a bunch!
<Welcome! -Mich> Darby
Re: Nano stocking
question 3/16/07 Thank you for the reply Mich.
<You're very welcome my friend!> I'll give the B.
Cardinals a pass. <Very wise on your part.> I'm
sure some other people in the area will be tripping over themselves to
get at them! <Assuredly.> They truly are a striking
fish, even if not what most consider "colorful". <Beauty
is in the eye of the beholder. -Mich> Darby

Can I have
two cleaner shrimp? 3/14/07 Can I put two cleaner shrimp
together in a 38 gallon tank with out them fighting each
other? <Yes> I currently have a false clownfish and a
maroon about the same size never fight with lots of live
rock. Should I only put one in? <Two will be
fine. However, I do suggest starting out with
one. If you are happy with one, go ahead with the
second. I was unable to view the picture, but not necessary
to answer your question.> <Brenda>

Damsel/tank (small) (skimmer)
question 3/13/07 Good day to all the staff of this wonderful
website! I've read this site and its archives for the past 3 weeks
and its been very helpful, got a couple of questions though. 1. is it
true that yellow-tailed damsels lose their "yellowtail" color
when they mature? <Mmm, not really... actually intensifies under
"ideal" conditions... good water quality, nutrition, social
factors...> how long (is it months or years?) does a damsel of this
kind mature? <Likely just several months... You
can look on fishbase.org... and read their Cartesian graphs re
such...> 2. my second question is, I have a 20 gallon
with 2 yellow tail damsels and 1 clown <... too crowded... not
healthy, sustainable> with about 15lbs of live rock, everything is
fine and I don't plan on adding anything more, do I still need a
skimmer? thanks in advance! <I would have, use one, yes. See WWM
re... Bob Fenner>

Nano Marine Aquaria;
Newbie - 3/12/07 Dear Mr. Fish Person, <We have Ms. Fish
Person's here too, as for me I go by Adam.> I've had
fishtank as long as I can remember, <Me too but I don't remember
what I ate for dinner last night so.......> so now (at age 17) <I
do remember being 17, that wasn't long ago.> I feel ready to
take on a marine tank. <Cool...you have lots or research and reading
to do.> I'm planning on using a ten-gallon and I know that takes
a lot more work than a larger one, but I'm on a budget, and
I've factored that in and feel I have enough time and motivation to
care for it. <Sounds like you are on the right track.> I would
like to have an ocellaris clownfish <Go for a tank raised individual
if you can.> and maybe a starfish later. <What type of starfish?
Nano-Aquaria probably does not suit 99% of species offered, most large
systems don't.> I'm going to use a hang-on-back filter and a
skimmer, as well as a heater to keep the fish happy. Do you have any
advice for me before I attempt to tackle this? <Read this (and
everything else you can): http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nanoreefsysart.htm
.> For instance, what kinds of small starfish are good for
beginners? <Honestly o those offered in the trade, there are not any
I would recommend other than those occurring naturally of inoculations
of live rock and live sand.> Any feedback would be great. <Do
keep reading, learning will make the "heartache" much less
likely.> Thanks, Lindsay <Welcome, Adam J.>

About Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals 3/10/07 Hi,
my name is Dan Zabler and I have had a salt-water tank since October
2006. The first step is admitting you have a problem...Oh
wait, wrong place. Hi Dan! Mich here.> The main tank is a
29-gallon high. I recently add a 20-gallon long refugium to
my system and I was looking at what types of fish to put in my refugium
when I came across the Zoanthus Colony Polyp Corals. I was
wondering what types of fish are safe to put with these
polyps. I was doing some research and read that the polyps
are poisonous and I don't want to put them in my tank and find my
fish dead. <Can be toxic, but most fish have a natural
aversion to eating things that might harm them.> Right now I have a
Scooter Dragonet (Synchiropus ocellatus), <A real challenge to feed,
often starve in captivity. Glad you have the refugium, do
research their dietary needs. More here and links in
blue: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mandarins.htm> a Firefish
(Nemateleotris magnifica), and two skunk cleaners (Lysmata
sp.). I am going to get one or two more fish but I might
change my decision on what fish to get depending on the effect of the
polyps going into the tank. <I would be more concerned
about the size of your tank. You need to choose any fish you
add very carefully. You tank is quite small and
psychological stress from over crowding is often a bigger issue than
many appreciate. There are several options. A few
you might consider may include your basic clownfish, Chromis
and select damsels. Some other possibilities
include: an Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani), a
Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto), or possibly a Jawfish (Opistognathus
spp.). Only consider the Jawfish if you have a deep sand bed
in the display and your tank is completely covered, because they will
find the smallest hole to escape from to go carpet
surfing! But please only one more fish, two at the
max.> If you could e-mail me back at this address
that would be very much appreciated. <Will do!> Thanks, Dan
Zabler <Welcome! -Mich>

Starcki Damsel <and a
Clown!> in a Nano -- 03/09/07 <Hi there, Mich here.>
I really want to get a Starcki damsel for my 10G, but would also like
to get a Percula Clown. Do you think it would be worth the
risk? <No! Too much fish, not enough space!> Do you
think if I put the clown in first and add the damsel a few weeks later
it might work. <No, there is not really enough room in the tank for
one of these fish, let alone two!> I'm prepared to watch for any
aggression, and remove one of the fish if becomes a problem. It's
only a 10 so taking it apart if I had to catch a fish isn't
terrible. <Better to get a larger tank or set up another system.>
I have done a lot of Googling, and it seems that the Starcki is one of
the least aggressive damsels you're going to find, and they are
gorgeous little fish. Some people even say theirs are rather timid.
<But the tank is still too small.> I think it is worth the risk,
and I'm pretty sure if the Damsel tried anything the clown could
take care of himself. <You are setting up a system filled with a
good deal of psychological stress. I wouldn't recommend
it.> Do you guys think I can try it, as long as I keep a close eye
out for aggression, and if necessary remove one of the fish (hopefully
I won't have to).? I realize the instinct is Damsel=Evil, but
people do a lot of things in this hobby that are against the rules, and
have success. <I just don't think this is a good idea.>
I'm just debating if it's worth the risk. Worse comes to worse
I have to take the damsel out, it can't hurt to try right? <My
goal is to have you be a conscientious marine aquarist and that means
doing what is right for those creatures dependant on you for their
care. You ultimately control their entire world and I just
don't think it's fair to put these two fish is such an
exceedingly small system. I'm sorry, I know this is not what you
want to hear, but is what should be said. -Mich>
Thanks

P. mccoskeri For a Small Reef?
(Oh Yes!) - 03/02/07 Hello, <<Howdy>> I would like to
know if my 40 breeder tank would work for a male Paracheilinus
mccoskeri Wrasse? <<Very neat little fish...yes it would>>
My total water volume is 65 gallons. I have a 25 gallon
sump/refugium. The male I would like is only 2in. I know, of
course, it will eventually grow. <<Mmm...but not much more in my
experience (to about 3~31/2 inches)>> I will upgrade my system in
the future. Just wanted your thoughts on this. <<P.
mccoskeri is an excellent little wrasse for reef
systems. Very peaceable (conspecifics aside), generally very
hardy, and quite attractive too!>> I have a nice stable reef
right now. 66 pounds of LR/ not all in the main display, but
a good amount for hiding, DSB, BM150 skimmer, LPS, Refugium,
closed-loop with a Sequence snapper. <<Sounds very nice>> I
haven't been able to find someone that asked this question about
this particular Wrasse. Please let me know. <<I think
I just did [grin]>> I currently have no other
fish. I'm looking to get some and this one looked great
and sounded like it has great personality, plus it's Gorgeous.
<<Indeed>> Thank you. Gina <<A pleasure to
share. EricR>>

Wrasse Addition to Semi-Nano
Aquaria 3/1/07 Hi <Hello.> My name is Joe and I
currently have a 3 months old saltwater aquarium that is 36
gallons, has a bunch of snails and hermits, <How much is a
bunch?> 40 lbs of live rock, a Citrinus Clown Goby, and a flame
Angelfish. <Tank is on the small side for a Centropyge.> I was
wondering if you had a suggestion for a type of wrasses to add to
my aquarium. I am looking for something that will fit
stocking wise, and aggression wise between the goby
and angel. I know the angel may give him a hard time though,
but was thinking wrasse are aggressive and tough enough to
handle. Particularly one of the smaller sized ones that will fit
in my tank, and will be a different coloration from the goby and
angel if possible, but that is not primary. I like the four and six
line wrasse fish, but never see the four or twelve line
wrasse I think they call it around in stores. <The only
wrasses I would find suitable would be a smaller member of the
Pseudocheilinus genus (which the Sixline is) or possibly a member of
the Wetmorella genus (possum wrasse).> Also in the future I will be
adding a 10g refugium to the side of the tank, and corals
when my lighting upgrades. <Sounds good.> If you have suggestions
or any comments it would be appreciated. <Just to stay
diligent and keep reading, Adam J.>

Overstocking, Hermit Crab
eating snails -- 2/26/07 <Hi Tracy, Brenda Here tonight.>
Thank you for your great articles. <Your welcome.> We have a 33
gallon tank that is about 1yr running now. We started with live sand
and began adding live rock and snails 1 month later. After 6
months we were up to 70 lbs live rock, 3 turbo snails 15 blue leg
hermits <You have too many crabs. I recommend one per 10
gallon or less.> 6 Margarite snails, 1 sally light foot 1 cleaner
shrimp, lots of little feather dusters on live rock, I have seen some
bristle worms too, 1 blenny, 2 tiny maroon clowns and a yellow tang, 1
very small anemone its white and about 1/4 of an inch big. <1/4'
anemone? Pest anemone? Your tank is much too
small for a tang.> There is coralline growing and we have star
polyps. All was well for a few months then the tang died. We checked
the water (prior to this we change 10% every 2 wks) and did a 50%
change the ph was 8.2 and nitrate 10 Two days later we did another
water change. The salinity is kept at 1.023. The place where we get our
supplies checks the other levels for us and said they were good.
<Nitrates at 10 is not good, need to be zero. I suggest
purchasing your own test kits and learning to test all of your water
parameters. What will you do at midnight when you need to
know your water parameters?> After the tang died the tank became
over run with red slime algae and green hair algae. <Have you
checked for phosphates?> We were able to combat the red algae but
the green was unreal. We had to remove the fish to a holding tank and
clean the algae of the live rock you couldn't see any live rock the
algae was so bad. We scrubbed off the algae under RO water. Everything
seemed nice and clean we tested the water, the store said all looked
good the nitrate still at 10 though. <The LFS is not doing you any
favors by telling you that your water is good when nitrates are above
zero.> We put the fish back in and purchased a zebra turbo snail and
5 Nassarius snails and a conch snail and a peppermint cleaner shrimp.
That was about 1 month ago 1 week ago we got a pink tipped anemone for
the clowns who have out grown the little tiny one (sorry don't know
what kind it is) the pink tipped hasn't quite settled yet still on
the move some how I think it is running away from the clown that wont
leave it for a second it actually lies down on its side wrapped in the
tentacles of the anemone. <Buying any tank mate and not knowing the
species is a bad idea. Your salinity is too low for an
anemone. It should be 1.026. You have two
anemones, and I have no idea what kind. You won't be
able to successfully keep two species of anemones in a 33 gallon
tank. A 33 gallon tank is border line for even one anemone,
unless you are experienced with keeping anemones. Your tank
is overstocked, and I believe you will continue to have
problems. The anemone has not settled because it is unhappy
with its environment.> Now 3 snails are dead, one of the hermit
crabs is now very huge could he be eating them? <You bet it can!>
He moved into a very large shell and looks to be about 2 1/2 inch by 1
inch big. Do you think the anemone has something to do with
it? <Nope!> Thank you Tracy <You're
Welcome. Please research all of your livestock and learn
their requirements and compatibility with others before you
buy. Good luck with your tank. Brenda>

Sebae... anemone, Carpet and Euphyllia, in a 36 gal., oh
my! 2/26/07 Hello WetWebMedia crew! <Julie> I
recommend your site to all of our fellow reefers, and I use it often
myself. Thank you for this vital and informative service. Now to my
question. I have a 36 gallon bowfront with 96 watt power compacts. I
have a carpet anemone <A dangerously small volume for this/these
species> that hosts a 4 inch cinnamon clown.( I know he is a little
large, but I'm a sucker for fish no one wants. He was brought into
the fish store as an exchange, and looked so pitiful I adopted him) The
are inseparable. Now, I purchased a considerably smaller cinnamon
approximately 1.5 inches. He happily adapted to his surroundings, but,
being the intelligent little creature he is, he steered clear of the
carpet for what I assume are two reasons: the larger cinnamon won't
let him anywhere near his carpet, and he didn't want to become
lunch for that same carpet. <All take time to "become
familiar"... as you're likely aware> So, he persistently
rubbed all three heads off of my frogspawn. (sigh). <Yikes... this
Euphylliid is in this small volume with a Carpet?> I purchased a
Sebae anemone for him and both are happily living in the opposite
corner of the tank after a period of traveling around finding just the
right spot. <A time bomb...> Now, my question is, after reading
about coloration of the Sebae, mine is the "stark white"
color with purple tips. <Bleached...> It has been this way since
purchase approximately 2 months ago. The carpet was a very white color
also when I purchased it a year ago, but since turned a dingy brownish
color. (after reading up on anemones, I assume this is a good thing)
<Mmm, yes... is improving.... reincorporating zooxanthellae...>
Now, the Sebae settled down at the bottom of the tank and has remained
there for the last couple of weeks. It looks full and healthy, but the
color concerns me. Will it take on the dingy brown color like my
carpet? <Perhaps in time... but much more likely you will have an
extreme-enough allelopathogenic event here... with the clowns being
killed, and all else... with one of the anemones being last "to
go"> Both anemones eat small chopped up "prime reef"
and "squid" about once a week or longer. I have a hob
refugium and a CPR backpack with 1/3 of the space being taken up with
live rock. I also have quite a bit of macro algae growing in the tank
(rooted in the sand) <Good... this gear and the algae have
forestalled the event mentioned above> various snails and hermits, a
cleaner shrimp, a decorator crab and small black scissor tailed damsel.
(oh I almost forgot a brittle star that I only see with the flashlight
when lights are out). This tank has never had anything expire in it
save for the occasional war over a shell between a hermit and snail.
About six months ago I had an outbreak of brown algae, which the snails
cleaned up promptly and still keep everything nice and clean. So do you
think my Sebae being so white will "color up" given more
time? <I think all will die if the anemones are not separated> I
was quite surprise to read where the white color is not a good thing,
since every single Sebae I have seen at the local fish stores are the
stark white color with the purple tips that look exactly like mine.
Thank you for all that you do for our hobby (i.e.-read here addiction)
Julie B <Please read here (Heeee!): http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemcompfaqs.htm and the
linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Fish additions to a 29 gallon
Bio Cube 2/25/07 Hello WWM crew, <Henry>
Thank
you in advance for taking the time to look over my question and
hopefully give me the correct direction I need. My tank has been up and
running for 9 weeks now. Bio-balls have been removed and a Sapphire
Aquatics skimmer added in their place. I have added some Loc-Line to
the output port for the stock filter area to break the outflow into two
separate directions. I have added a power head in the tank and my flow
is about 600 gph total. <All good changes> Everything else in the
tank is stock as delivered from Oceanic. I may upgrade lighting down
the road. All parameters have been going through cycling about as I
expected from reading yours and other materials. The cycle is complete
(should I say first major cycle) and the all parameters are within the
accepted ranges for a reef tank. The tank was started with 11 lbs. of
Tufa base rock, 20 lbs. of LFS cured LR. 20 lbs. of CaribSea Live
aragonite sand (or as live as it can be sitting in a bag on a shelf for
however long). <Mmmm, yes> I have added some GSP in wk. #7, some
Zoanthids in wk. #8 and some small mushrooms and Ricordea in wk. #9. I
am looking forward to the addition of fish, probably starting somewhere
in wk. #16. The fish I would like to add are Centropyge loriculus,
Cryptocentrus cinctus, Pseudocheilinus hexataenia, and one Amphiprion
Percula. <Mmm, how many gallons is this system? Too small for a
Flame Angel> If I were to give up on adding anything down the line
it would be the clown. I plan to add these fish one at a time at about
two week intervals. Naturally I will be keeping an eagle eye on the
parameters as they change with the bio-load to ensure that the 10-15%
weekly water changes and the biological filtration are able to keep the
water in the condition it needs to be in. My question for you is the
order of addition. I am thinking the goby then wrasse then angel then
clown. Your thoughts? <Is fine> I appreciate the fact that you
all are working to keep the site up and running and I have been using
it, mostly in the search function, and this is my first time writing
since I could not find what I was looking for doing searches. I remain
grateful and your fan. Henry <Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Peppermint and Cleaner
Shrimp... small sys. incomp. 2/24/07 Good Morning Crew,
I have two questions regarding the two types of shrimp in my 29 Gallon
marine tank. First is concerning a Peppermint Shrimp. Just yesterday I
noticed my Peppermint Shrimp resting still, upside down under a live
rock. This in itself is not unusual however it was not his normal spot
and he did not come out during feeding time. <Mmm, may be getting
near a molt... perhaps reproducing...> This morning I found him dead
on the bottom. The only changes recently was about a week ago I added a
Cleaner shrimp to help deal with a mid case of ich. <Mmm,
won't... and these two may not have been compatible...> Are
there diseases or anything else that may have caused his demise - all
else appears to be normal in the tank. My other question in concerning
the Cleaner Shrimp - I have noticed black blotches on either side of
his main body. He appears healthy and very active at feeding time.
Should these black blotches of concern to me? (he has molted once in
the tank) <Mmm, no... please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clrshrpdisfaqs.htm Likely
similar... algal growths> Other info 29 Gallon Tank 1 Penguin 300
BioWheel Hang on Filter 1 Prism Protein Skimmer 2 Internal Powerheads
Live Rock 4 Large Hair Mushrooms 3 Small Maroon Mushrooms <Not
nearly enough room for these here> 3 Chromis 1 Ocellaris Clown
<Territorial trouble... the two Pomacentrids above will lose to the
winning Premnas> 1 Sailfin Blenny (very skinny - trying to feed) 1
Scopus Tang <Ditto> 6 hermit crabs 9 assorted snails Lots of
Amphipods A number of assorted hitchhikers Water levels are
good however I have had issues with elevated Nitrates and Nitrites in
recent past Thanks, Lance <Do be planning on a much larger system...
soon, Lance. BobF>

Problem with Crabs and
Overstocking -- 2/20/07 Help! <Hi Janet, Brenda here tonight>
I have been reading through your FAQ's and reading elsewhere and I
am not finding the answers to my question. Since November
2006 I have had a 24 gallon Aqua Pod. All my parameters are
within the required limits. I do a weekly 4 gallon water change to keep
my nitrates down. I have 4 fish (yellow-tail damsel, 1 clarkii
clownfish, and 2 Percula clownfish), there are snails and crabs,
mushrooms, an anemone (the clarkii loves it there), a sea urchin, a
blue star fish, frogspawn coral, feather duster, star polyp,
Caulastrea, Galaxea coral, yellow pagoda, Zoanthid, and 2 cleaner
shrimps. <Oh my! You're way over
stocked. You will also see aggression between the Percula
and clarkii clownfish as they mature. You shouldn't mix
corals and anemones, especially a Nano tank. The Galaxea has
sweeper tentacles that can reach up to 12 inches, the frogspawn also
has long tentacles and the Caulastrea up to 2 inch
tentacles. These tentacles will sting all your corals and
your invertebrates.> I had (and these have not survived) a electric
flame scallop, black sun coral, pearl bubble coral, brain coral, and
Fungia. <I'm not surprised.> I feed them 1X a day ~ I
alternate every other day with the following Mysis shrimp, Cyclop eeze
(originally for the black sun coral), and prime reef flake
food. About a month ago, I took out 10 crabs (I had 20)
because they seem to be eating other things in the tank besides the
garbage. <It is recommended to have 1 crab or less for every 10
gallons. I don't recommend crabs with anemones.> Now
they seem to be eating snails <This is common they can also eat
small fish, corals, and nip at anemones.> and they look they are
eating each other, too. <Have not heard of this, could
be the sweeper tentacles.> It, also, looks they have
multiplied. What do I do? <Decide what sort of tank you
want to keep, anemone or coral. If you choose coral, select
those that are not as aggressive. Please research
compatibility and care before your purchase.> Janet
<Brenda>

Pico Reef Tank - 07/29/06 Hi
WWM crew: <<Howdy Jeff!>> After a couple of years of
keeping a medium-sized (46 gallon) reef tank and learning all the
million and one things NOT to do, I've decided--even though I know
I have to learn another billion or so things NOT to do--to take the
plunge into a Pico reef tank. (Yes, I'm aware that most Nanos and
picos fail in the long-run, so I'm taking this risk with no
illusions.) <<Mmm, must admit to disliking pico/nano
systems...death traps for the most part, in my humble opinion>>
I've been continually learning by first-hand experience, by
countless hours of reading your FAQ's, articles and books, and by
talking with other "reef geeks". <<Let's hope it
will be enough...>> Now here's my set-up plan: TANK,
EQUIPMENT, & SUPPLIES - 3 gallon mini Deco with 18 watts of PC
light, 50/50 (dimensions 12.5"L x 9.5"W x 7.5"H), Deco
power filter (Hang-on) with 80 gph of flow (so about 27X turnover per
hour) - note: filter cartridge to be replaced by a bag of Seachem's
Purigen. <<A good idea>> Tetra 50 Watt heater (4.5"
long, fully submersible, preset at 78F) <<Hmm...this sounds too
large...would quickly do damage if it were to "stick
on">> Algae magnet cleaner, Digital thermometer,
Refractometer, AP saltwater test kit, Salifert Alk test kit, Seachem
Reef Salt, Seachem Reef Buffer. <<Dosing additives is
dangerous/should be unnecessary on this small volume of
water. Frequent partial water changes will be quick/easy and
will provide/replenish all the elements this tank will need...and do so
safely>> MAINTENANCE REGIMEN - DAILY: 2 CUPS of water change
(approximately 4% of tank volume daily), Top-off (I have yet to measure
exactly how much water is lost to evaporation in 24 hours; if necessary
I may have to top-off twice a day--once in the morning and once in the
evening) <<Indeed...won't take much evaporation to cause
large swings in water chemistry>> Scrape algae off acrylic wall,
monitor temperature, pH, and specific gravity. -WEEKLY: Siphon of
substrate & LR, cleaning of filter & replacement of Purigen as
necessary, salt water mix prep in 5 gal bucket w/heater &
powerhead, refill top-off water bucket, test for Ammonia, Nitrite,
Nitrate, & Alkalinity. SUBSTRATE: .5" of white sand, 2-3 lbs
of live rock. LIVE STOCK: This is where I need advice. I
know that stocking this tank will be the most critical.
<<Indeed...won't be keeping much in this tiny volume of
water>> I gave it a lot of thought and decided it will house only
the following: A single colony of some species of xenia (I've
actually kept the elongata species in my larger tank, and it has grown
rapidly) - 2 red-leg hermit crabs - 1 Astrea snail I choose xenia
because they're relatively hardy, almost fully autotrophic,
<<Mmm, do feed through absorption...have been proposed as viable
organisms for "animal" filters (a vessel filled with
organisms utilized for the water filtering capacity>> and because
I love their pulsing behavior. I'm thinking the waste
from the live rock, crabs and snail will give it enough sustenance
without me having to feed it by polluting the water. <<Possibly,
yes>> I'm afraid of putting any food in the tank at all since
overfeeding would be too easy. <<Agreed>> I will also not
dose any supplements & additives--too dangerous in this system.
<<Ah...good!>> Besides, the Seachem Reef Salt (which
I'm using for my larger tank) contains good levels of trace
elements. <<Agreed again>> My Question is: which species of
xenia would you recommend (if at all)? <<X. elongata or X.
umbellata would be fine choices I think. Though if
you've kept Xenia before you should be aware that sometimes it
declines for "no apparent reason">> And would the
wastes produced from the LR, crabs & snail be sufficient
supplemental nutrition? <<Maybe...though the crab and snail may
need supplemental feeding at some point...maybe best provided by
exchanging the old rock with new>> If not, what
"feeding" regimen would you recommend? <<At this point,
none. If you choose not to swap out old rock for new (about
every 4-6 months...maybe more often), a shrimp pellet or two
(literally), tossed in every 3-4 days may suffice>> Best Regards,
<<Cheers, EricR>>

Small Marine Aquariums
Book 1:
Invertebrates, Algae
New
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eBook on Amazon:
by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Small Marine Aquariums
Book 2:
Fishes
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eBook on Amazon: by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Small Marine Aquariums
Book 3:
Systems
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eBook on Amazon:
by Robert (Bob) Fenner